South Korea's Kim Woojin will defend his men's recurve title at the 13th Archery World Cup Final that starts tomorrow in Turkey ©World Archery

South Korea's Kim Woojin will defend his men's recurve title at the 13th Archery World Cup Final that starts in the Turkish city of Samsun tomorrow, against a hugely strong field that includes the American he beat to gold last year, Brady Ellison.

Last year's win was the second in this flagship World Archery competition for Kim, and Ellison has four titles to his name.

But such is the strength of the field for a competition that runs until Sunday (September 30) evening that neither may make this year's final.

Much of the attention will be on the South Korean archer Lee Woo Seok, making his debut in this competition, and the 19-year-old home archer Mete Gazoz, who beat Lee in a shoot-off at the Berlin World Cup.

Before earning that silver Lee, the 2014 Youth Olympic champion, won gold at the Antalya World Cup, beating Kim, and he arrives as top seed, one ahead of his hugely more experienced compatriot.

Another strong threat will come from the world ranked number one, Steve Wijler of The Netherlands.

The recurve women's competition is the only in which the champion from the previous season - in this case, Ki Bo Bae – has not returned to defend their title.

The Korean's final opponent in Rome last year, Ksenia Perova, is in Samsun - and she is also the reigning world champion, having beaten Olympic champion Chang Hye Jin to that honour in Mexico City.

Perova has the third-lowest average arrow score of the eight women in the line-up - but she is a winner, especially in Turkey.

The field for the women's compound event at the Archery World Cup final that starts tomorrow in Samsun, where home archer Yesim Bostan, the world number one, will challenge perennial winner Sara Lopez ©World Archery
The field for the women's compound event at the Archery World Cup final that starts tomorrow in Samsun, where home archer Yesim Bostan, the world number one, will challenge perennial winner Sara Lopez ©World Archery

She has won the last two stages of the Archery World Cup in Antalya, in 2017 and 2018, and finished second in 2016.

Chang, however, is top seed, one ahead of South Korea's Lee Eun Gyeong.

World number one Mike Schloesser of The Netherlands and Stephan Hansen of Denmark, both with world titles to their name, are top seeds in a hugely competitive men's compound competition.

A particularly strong challenge is anticipated from Turkey's World Cup champion of 2015, Demir Elmaagacli, who received an automatic host nation qualifying place this year and has the talent to be on the podium again.

Sara Lopez of Colombia has won the women's compound title at three of the last four Archery World Cup finals - in 2014, 2015 and 2017 - having missed 2016 for personal reasons.

But despite being unbeaten in international matchplay throughout 2018, Lopez faces stiff competition for her fourth title in Samsun, not least from the reigning world number one home archer, Yesim Bostan.